Clin Nutr Res.  2019 Apr;8(2):79-90. 10.7762/cnr.2019.8.2.79.

Food Literacy in South Korea: Operational Definition and Measurement Issues

• Park D
• Shin MJ
• Song S

• KMID: 2444225
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2019.8.2.79

Abstract

Since chronic diseases have emerged as a major cause of death worldwide, people has been exposed to large amounts of information on healthy eating practices that are important aspects of its prevention and management. Food literacy, the functional, interactive, and critical ability to manage dietary information with the aim of improving health, is of global interest. In South Korea (hereafter Korea), there is currently a lack of food literacy research, despite its pertinence for the development of public health policies that are tailored to recipients' ability to understand and address health and nutrition issues. In this study, the research trend and policy implications of food literacy are derived through reviewing preceding studies related to food literacy in Korea and elsewhere. Existing literature on food literacy in Korea placed much emphasis on the functional ability of food literacy. Future research on the operational definitions of interactive and critical food literacy and their health effects in Korea is necessary. In addition, there is a lack of research on the development and validation of measurement tools that evaluate integrative concepts of food literacy. To accurately examine the relationships among food literacy, diet, and health, standardized measurement tools that can comprehensively evaluate food literacy frameworks for various Korean sub-population groups should be developed. Based on such future studies, an investigation of health promotion programs or policies on reducing the cognitive burden of food literacy would contribute to improving heathy eating practices in Korea.

Keyword

Health literacy; Healthy eating; Consumer health information; Food labelling; Health education

MeSH Terms

Cause of Death
Chronic Disease
Consumer Health Information
Diet
Eating
Food Labeling
Health Education
Health Literacy
Health Promotion
Korea*
Literacy*
Public Health

Figure

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  Figure 1 Impact of health literacy on health. Figure was adapted from Berkman et al. (2011) [32].

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  Figure 2 A conceptual model for the relationship between food literacy and nutrition. Figure was adapted from Vidgen and Gallegos (2011) [37].

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